Tasty recipes from chef Ronit Penso's kitchen

Multi Grain Focaccia with Grapes and Rosemary

This tasty, summery focaccia comes from Tuscany, and is believed to have Etruscan origins.
From the first time I’ve tried this unique bread, I loved how the taste of the sweet and slightly acidic grapes, combined with the saltiness of the bread and the wonderful aroma from the rosemary, were just perfect together.

There are many variations for this bread, and most make use of white flour alone. So, once again, I’ve decided to experiment with other types of flours, so that the dough will be less one-dimensional.
I ended up using types of flour that are far from the authentic Italian version, such as dark rye, oats and steel cut oats. The result was so tasty and the texture so much more interesting, that I’ve decided sometimes authenticity can be overrated. I definitely like this version as much as I like the original recipe I’ve been using for years.
I invite you to try this version, or create your own based on my experiment, and enjoy this wonderful bread.

Notes:
* I left the starter at room temperature for 2 hours, to the point it was almost sour. The process added lots of flavor and made the bread lighter. However, if you’re pressed with time you can go back to letting the starter sit for 10-15 minutes only, as shown in THIS focaccia recipe.
* The dough is quite soft and moist, as it should be. Don’t be tempted to add more flour unless you feel you really have to.
* The steel cut oats add a nice, crunchy bite, which I liked a lot. However, you can omit it if you prefer smoother texture.
* I highly recommend not adding more grapes, as otherwise you’ll end up with a grape pie rather than bread seasoned with grapes.

1. In a large bowl, mix the starter ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for 2 hours (see notes).
2. Add the rest of the dough ingredients and knead for 4-5 minutes, to form a soft dough. Pour the additional olive oil on top and roll the dough in it, to coat it from all sides with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and keep in a warm place for 2 hours, until the dough doubles in volume. Punch down the dough and let sit in a warm place for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 380F (195C). Line a cookie sheet (11”x17”/28cm x 43cm) with baking paper and sprinkle the semolina or cornmeal all over. Add the dough and press it with wet hands, so it will cover the pan evenly. With the tips of your fingers, press dents all over the dough Add the grapes on top, pressing them into the dough. Sprinkle the coarse salt all over.
4. Bake for 40 minutes, until the focaccia is golden brown. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool a bit before drizzling the 2 Tbs olive oil all over.

I’ve been wanting to try a focaccia with grapes….saw a recipe months ago. BUT …I’m so glad I didn’t back then because this sounds and looks so much better than what I remember! Can’t wait to try it…thanks for sharing your twist on focaccia, Ronit!

Thank you Nancy, I was just commenting on your wonderful jams!
I’m glad you like my twist on this unique and tasty focaccia. Ever since I started mixing all kinds of flours it’s been an interesting ride… I hope you’ll enjoy the recipe, or your own version of it. 🙂

Oh gosh, me too! Besides, most people who use that word don’t know what they’re talking about – and what is authentic anyway? I think unless you’re hunting down animals with spears and sticks and tearing into them raw, there’s really no such thing as authentic – and if you went back hundreds of years and showed some old Grandmother a recipe, they’d be like, “Nooo, that’s not how we make Focaccia!” I don’t care how something is “certified” or who it’s certified by. Oh my, I went on a rant! 🙂

My sourdough runneth over! I’m going to make more sourdough French bread pizza for tonight to use up the current batch, so I can start a new batch of bread tomorrow. Haven’t made a focaccia for a while – time to do it again.

Thank you Linda, I’m glad you liked the recipe. Note that I’ve used grapes, not raisins – though I can see it could work well too. Right now the grapes are so nice and fresh, so I use them in cooking as well. 🙂

Yes I’ve been playing with different flours and enjoy it a lot.
The grapes addition is so wonderful, I’m a owe at whoever thought about it first. I read about the origins of this bread and it seems they go way back to Etruscan era. Such culinary geniuses they were! 🙂

Thank you Sandhya, I’m glad you liked the recipe. I have a lot of fun playing with different flours. It creates such tasty breads! This one is one of my favorites and I hope you’ll enjoy it. I’ll be happy to hear your comments. 🙂

I seem to recall making a focaccia with grapes a few years ago while in Michigan, Ronit. It must not have been all that good because that’s all I remember. I do like the idea of grapes in bread, however. I should give yours a try. I bet I’ll remember it. 🙂

Thank you John, I’m glad you’ve found the recipe interesting.
I think the major mistake with grape focaccia is that people tend to add too many grapes, which results gooey topping and prevents the proper baking of the dough.
As with so many things in life – here too less is more. 🙂

I actually find focaccia easier to prepare, and it is a good base for pizza too. I love the grapes and rosemary combination, it is really special and unique. I think I like it even more as I usually make it only during the summer. Even when I can find grapes in the winter it just doesn’t feel right… 🙂

Ronit, I love that you experimented with the different flours. It really does give the focaccia a different element. The amount of grapes used is indeed just enough to flavor the focaccia and sounds perfect 🙂